Machine for drawing designs



Nov. 13, 1934. P J. GRUPP 1,980,917

MACHINE FOR DRAWING DESIGNS Filed Jan. 27, 1933 Patented Nov. 13, 1934 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Application January 27,

11 Claims.

The present invention relates to machines or instruments for causing a pen, pencil, stylus, cutting element, or other suitable marking de- Vice to be moved in such a manner as to trace an endless path and thus draw or otherwise mark a design on an underlying sheet of paper or the like supported on a revolving table; and it has for its object to make it possible to trace or mark a much greater variety of designs than can be made in any prior machine or instrument of which I am aware.

A further object of the present invention is to produce a machine or instrument of the character above specied in which adjustments may quickly and easily be made, over a wide range, to vary one or more characteristics of any given design.

The various features of novelty whereby my invention is characterized will hereinafter be pointed out with particularity in the claims; but, for a full understanding of my invention and of its objects and advantages, reference may be had to the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Figure 1 is a plan view of .a machine or instrument embodying the present invention; Fig. 2 is a section, on a larger scale, on line 2 2 of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a section on line 3 3 of Fig. l; Fig. 4 is a section on line 4 4 of Fig. 1, the pulley member being shown in elevation; Figs. 5, 6 and 'I are sections taken, respectively, on lines 5 5, 6 6 and 7 7 of Fig. 1, each showing a fragment of the machine or instrument; and Fig. 8 is a side view of the bent end of the rod that supports the holder for the marking element.

Referring to the drawing, 1 represents a suitable horizontal base on which the other parts are mounted. Overlying the base is a flat, round rotatable table 2. Also underlying the base and rotatably mounted thereon'is a horizontal rotary driving member in the form of a pulley or wheel 3. Overlying the table and rotatably secured thereto, as best shown in Fig. 5, is a thick disk 4 somewhat smaller in diameter than the diameter of the table. The member 4, which constitutes a pulley or driven wheel, is shown as having two peripheral grooves 5 and 6. The driving pulley has a peripheral groove '7. A suitable flexible belt 8 extends around the pulleys 3 and 4, being seated in the grooves 5 and '7. Therefore, when the driving pulley is rotated, the table will also lrotate but, since its driven wheel or pulley is larger than the driving pulley, at a lower angular speed. A sheet of paper or other suitable mate- 1933, Serial N0. 653,840

rial may be temporarily held upon the table in any suitable way. In the arrangementv shown, the table is provided with two upwardly-'projecting pins 9, 9 at diametrically opposed points. When a sheet of paper is pressed down on the table the pins pierce the sheet and form a driving connection between the same and the table.

Any suitable marking device which, in the drawing, is indicated as a pen A, is supported so as to rest upon a sheet carried by the table. The immediate support for the marking element is shown as taking the form of a spring clip 10 on one end of a short stem 11 which is provided at its other end with the socket member 12 of a ball and socket joint. The ball member 13 of the ball and socket joint is located at one end of a rod or tube 14 the other end of which is telescoped within a tube 15. The end of the tube 15 opposite that through which the other tube 14 enters lis made solid in any usual or suitable way, as indicated at 16 in Fig. 7. A hole 17 is drilled dia. metrically across the solid part of the tube anda slit 18, extending diametrically across such 'solid part, is cut into the latter through the free end and down to the hole 17. The slit in the member 16 permits a spring action whereby a light rod or heavy wire 19, passing through the hole 17, may be iirmly gripped. The clip 10, tog-ether with the supporting members 14 and 15, therefor, may be termed the holder for the marking element. This holder is supported on the rod or heavy wire 19 and may be adjusted lengthwise of the latter by simply applying enough pressure to overcome the frictional grip of the holder on therod or wire.

If the rod or wire is held stationary while the table is being revolved, the marking element will trace a circle on a sheet moving with the table. If the rod is moved `while the table is moving, the designs produced will be non-circular.` I have provided means for supporting the rod in a variety of ways so that the marking element may either be held stationary or be moved through a variety of endless paths while that table is rotating. In the arrangement shown, one end of the rod may be supported by either a stationary disk 20 or a rotatable wheel 21, whereas the other end of the rod may be supported by a stationary bar 22, by a reciprocable and oscillatory member 23, or by an arm 24 which, while rotating bodily with the driving pulley, may always be held in parallelism with some stationary base line. The stationary disk 20 has thereon a row of holes 25 extending diametrically across the same, and the Wheel 2l also has a row of holes 26 distributed along a diameter thereof. This particular arrangement of the holes in the members 20 and 21 is not essential but simply convenient, as any desired number of holes and any desired distribution thereof may be employed. When one end of the rod is supported either by the disk 2() or by the wheel 2l, this is accomplished by set ting the stem 27 of a little block or button 28 tted slidably upon the rod, into any one of the holes in the member which is to serve as the support. The bearing and supporting member 28 permits the rod to slide back and forth through the same and, because its stem and the holes 25 and 26 are round, it permits the rod to swing parallel with the plane of the table. That 4end of the rod in the vicinity of the stationary disk 20 is headed, as indicated at 30, to prevent the part 28 from sliding off the rod. The other end of the rod, as shown in Fig. 8, is bent laterally to form a pin or nger 31 the free end of which is lpreferably pointed or conical, as indicated at 32. The pointed end of the pin or linger on the rod is set into any one of a group of holes in each of thev parts 22, 23 and'24, as will hereinafter be described.k

Referring again to the stationary disk 20, it will be seen that it is provided with a radial slo-t 33 throughwhich, as best shown in Figs. l and 2,.extends a headed rivet 34. lThis rivet also passes through an arm 35 in the form of a long, narrow plate lying flat against the under side of the disk 20. Between the lower head of the rivetand the under side of the supporting arm 35 is a spring washer 36 which constantly presses the parts 35 and 20 against each other and against theupperhead of the rivet; thereby frictionally holding the disk in any position into which it may be adjusted, while permitting the disk to be'shifted bodily'in the direction of the length ofthe slot, and to be turned about the rivet as a center regardless of the point in the slot at which the rivet may be located. It will thus be seen that any one of the holes 25 in the disk may have almost aninnite number of possible positions. `The free end of the arm 35 is offset downwardly, as indicated at 37, to bring it down tothe base member of the machine, and it is provided with alongslot 18 extending inwardly from the free end thereof. A `stationary screw post 39 rises fromithe base of the machine through this slot and has thereon a wing nut 40 adapted to engage with the part 37 and hold it in any position into -which it may have been adjusted. ItV will be seen that the connection between the supporting arm for the disk20 and the stationary base permits the disk to be swung lbodily angularly of the vtable or to be moved bodily from and toward Athertable.l 1 Y The wheel 21 is rotatably supported on an arm 41 similar to the arm 35; the arm 41 having a long slot 42 extendingl inwardly from the free end thereof. The screw post 39 passes through vthe slot 42 in the armk4l, as well as through the yslot in the 4supporting arm for the'disk 20.

Consequently, the single wing nut 'serves to hold f 'Ihewheel 21 has on the under side a hub in the form of a cone pulley. In the arrangement shown, this pulley has two steps, each provided IWith'aperipheral groove, as indicated at 43 and 44, respectively. The wheel is driven by a l,suitable belt 45 extending around the pulley ymember of the table, in the groove, and around the cone or step pulley of the part 21, in either of the grooves 43 or 44.

The driving pulley for the table is turned by means of a handle 46 surrounding and loose on a post or pin 47 Xed to and rising from the pulley near the edge of the latter. Therefore, when the handle is grasped to drive the machine, it will not turn in the hand of the operator. I make use of this fact by securing to the handle proper the member 24 which is simply a short arm projecting radially from the handle. Distributed along the member 24 are a series of holes 48 into any one ofV which the point on the bent end of the rod 19 may be set. If now the other end of the rod is being supported by the disk, the turning of the driving pulley by means of its handle will cause the rod as a whole to reciprocate and oscillate, since the bent end travels a circular path. When the bent end of the rod is supported by the member 23, which is also driven from the handle, as will hereinafter be explained, that end of the rod is also moved through an endless or closed path, but this pathis non-circular. The member 23, which may be termed a rocking member, is shown as taking the form of a long, lilat plate having in one end a hole through which the pin or post 47 on the driving pulley passes. This post or pin therefore serves as a crank pin to move the member 23 as the driving pulley revolves. The rocking member is further. supported by the mem-y ber 22 which is in the form of a curved bar resting at one end on the base of the machine and secured thereto by a suitable screw or bolt 50 that permits the bar to be shifted angularly ina plane parallel with the top of the tableand to be locked in any position into whichit may ibe brought. Screwed into the bar 22 from above is a `screw device having a head 51, a short neck 52 slightly longer than the thickness of the member 23, and a screw-threaded stem or shank 53 smaller indiameter than the neck portion. The member 23 contains a long curved or sinuous slot 54 vextending almost from end to end thereof. The width of this slot is equal tothe diameter of the neck portion of the screw in the supporting bar. Therefore, when the screw device is entered in the slot in the rocking member and screwed down into the supporting bar, it forms a stationary fulcrum about which the rocking member may swing andvwith respect to which it may move lengthwise while being 'driven by the rotating driving pulley. The rocking member is shown as having thereon two sets of holes, 55 and 56, distributed lengthwise of the same, on opposite sides of the slot. The point on the bent end of the rod may be set into any one of these holes. v

The supporting bar 22 is made long enough to project a considerable distance beyond the rocking member and is provided in this extensionr or projecting portion thereof with a series of holes 57, similar tothe holes 48, 55 and 56. The point on the bent end of the rod may be set into any one of the-holes 57. i

The various adjustments, the manner of making them, and the manner of operating the .machine or instrument will probably be understood fromthe foregoing description. It shouldperhaps 'be noted that the ball and socket joint in theV holder should be of such a'type that considerable force must be applied to overcome the frictional resistance between the contacting surfaces 'no y of thev ball and socket; that there be considerable frictionalresistance to relative movements between the ltubular members 14 and 15 of lthe holder; and that the grip of the holder on a supporting rod be reasonably tight: Whereby the pen or other marking element will be to all intents and purposes rigidly supported from the rod after it has once been adjusted relatively thereto.

While I have illustrated and described with particularity only a single preferred form of my invention, I do not desire to be limited to the exact structural details thus illustrated and described; but intend to cover all forms and arrangements which come within the definitions of my invention constituting the appended claims.

I claim:

l. In a device of the character described, a rotatable table, a long rod, a holder for a marking element carried by said rod, a stationary member for slidably supporting one end of the rod, a rotatable driving member for said table, an operating handle connected to said driving member at a point remote from the axis of rotation of said member and rotatable relatively to said member about an axis parallel to the aforesaid axis, an arm projecting radially from said handle, and said arm and the other end or" said rod having interlocking elements to cause the arm to support that end of the rod and cause the rod to be reciprocated and oscillated as the handle turns said driving member.

2. In a device of the character described, a rotatable table, a long rod, a holder for a marking element carried by said rod, a stationary member forv slidably supporting one end or" the rod, a rotatable driving member for said table, an operating handle connected to said driving member at a point remote from the axis of rotation of said member and rotatable relatively to said member about an axis parallel to the aforesaid axis, an arm projecting radially from said handle, a rocking member having a curved slot extending lengthwise thereof, a stationary support for said rocking member underlying the same between lthe ends of the latter and having a fulcrum pin extending into said slot, a connection between one end of the rocking member and the driving member to cause the former to oscillate and reciprocate when the latter is turned, said arm and said rocking member each having a plurality of holes therein, and the other end of said rod having a pin element adapted to enter any one of said holes.

In a device of the character described, a rotatable table, a long rod, a holder for a marking element carried by said rod, a stationary member for slidably supporting one end of the rod, a rotatable driving member for said table, an operating handle connected to said driving member at a point remote from the axis of rotation of said member and rotatable relatively to said member about an axis parallel to the aforesaid axis, an arm projecting radially :from said handle, a rocking member having a curved slot extending lengthwise thereof, a long stationary adjustable bar extending transversely of said rocking member underneath the same between the ends of the latter to form a support therefor and having a fulcrum pin extending into said slot, a connection between one end of the rocking member and the driving member to cause the former to oscillate and reciprocate when the latter is turned; said arm, said rocking member and said bar each having a plurality of holes therein; and the other end oi said rod having a pin element adapted to enter any one of said holes.

4. In a device of the character described: a rotatable table; a long rod; a holder for a marking element mounted on and projecting laterally from said rod; a stationary disk parallel with the table; Vmeans to support the disk to permit it Vto be adjusted from and toward the table, anguing element mounted on and projecting laterally from said rod; a stationary disk parallel with the table; means to support the disk to permit it to be adjusted from and toward the table, angularly about the table and angularly with respect to its own center; means to support one end of said rod at any one of a plurality of points on said disk so as to permit the rod to move lengthwise and swing parallel to the plane of the disk; and means simultaneously to turn the table and move the other end of the rod through any one of numerous predetermined endless paths.

6. In a machine of the character described, a Y

rotatable table, a long rod, a holder for a marking element carried by said rod, an adjustable stationary support having a fulcrum pin projecting upwardly therefrom, a rocking member extending across and resting on said support, said rocking member having thereon a long curved longitudinal slot cooperating with said fulcrum pin and numerous holes distributedy along the same on both sides of the slot, means to move one end of said rocking member through a circular path, said rod having at one end a pin adapted to be inserted in any one of the holes in the rocking member, and means to support the other end oi the rod so as to permit it to move lengthwise and oscillate about a predetermined stationary point.

7. In a device of the character described: a rotatable table; a long rod; a holder for a marking element mounted on and projecting laterally from said rod; a stationary disk parallel with the table; means to support the disk to permit it to be adjusted from and toward the table, angularly about the table and angularly with respect to its own center; means to support one end of said rod at any one of a plurality of points on said disk so as to permit the rod to move lengthwise and swing parallel to the plane of the disk; means to hold the other end of the rod in any one of a large number of positions; and means to turn the table.

3. In a device of the character described: A

iin

rotatable table; a long rod; a holder for a marking element mount-ed on and projecting laterally from said rod; an arm located beside the table and adjustable angularly in a plane perpendicular to the axis of rotation of the table; a member mounted on said arm and adjustable angularly upon the latter; means to support one end of said rod at any one of a plurality of points on said 1M@ its to the axis of `rotation of the table; a member mounted onV said arm and adjustable upon the latter about an axis parallel to the aforesaid axis; means to support one end of said rod at any one of a plurality of points distributed along `said member so as to permit the rod to move lengthwise and swing parallel to the plane of the table; means to support the other end of the rod for swinging movements about the point of support of the first end; and means to turn the table.

10. In a machine of the character described, a

'rotatable table, along rod, a holder for a markthe holesin the rocking member, and means to support the other end of the rod so as to permit it to move lengthwise and oscillate about a predetermined stationary point.

l1. In a machine of the character described, a

rotatable table, a long rod, a holder for a marking element carried by said rod, an adjustable stationary support having a fulcrum pin projecting upwardly therefrom, a rocking member extending across and resting on said support, said rocking member having thereina long curved longitudinal slot cooperating With said fulcrum pin, means to move one end of said rocking member through a circular path,'means to support one end of the rod so as to permit it to move 'lengthwise and oscillate about a predetermined stationary point, and means pivotally to connect the other end of said rod to said rocking member at any one of a plurality of points distribute along said member. y

PAUL J. GRUPP. 

